Of course. If a top team like Czechoslovakia can afford to lose 1-11, then definitely Slovakia (hardly a top team that year) can afford to lose 0-8. Logic escapes you, as usual.Are you seriously comparing Czechoslovakia losing 11:1 to USSR with us losing to Czechs 8:0?
Some people say that Belarus would need just playing in the SF, some say they need to finish 3rd or better, so I dunno.
Belarus needs to finish 6 places higher than Slovakia to kick Slovakia out of Olympics, so Belarus would need to win a medal this year, because Slovakia finished 9th.
I wouldn't call Vujtek a one hit wonder. We made it into the QF in 2013, that's not a bad result.
Not bad, but not good, either. It's just mediocre, and it's definitely no hit. We were also lucky to get into the play-offs that year.
Let's not call mediocrity a "success", please. Getting into the quarterfinals is OK, but it's no success for a hockey nation like Slovakia. Only getting to the semifinals can truly be called "success". And failing to reach the quarterfinals is outright failure, no discussion.
Vůjtek was Slovakia's head coach at 5 top events. He was successful once, mediocre once, and he failed three times. That speaks a clear language, as to what the overall assessment of his tenure will be. I am, as I mentioned, waiting for someone to post Vůjtek's overall win/loss record with team Slovakia. It's very likely to be distinctly below 0.500 (50%), which is considered an unacceptable coaching record in every non-developing hockey country.